Cooling tower



June 19, 1928. 1,674,281

N. o. FLEMING COOLING TOWER Filed 0ct15, 192s @1- Q I I TOP: NORMA/V 0% MING 5? ATTO NEK Patented June 19, 19 28. 5

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.NORMAN 0. FLEMING, or HUNTINGTON PARK, onniroanranssrenon To THE Arriaos. rnnaro COOLING co ne, or iru qri ve'ron PARK, CALIF.OB.1\TIA,- A ooRrroRATIoN or CALIFORNIA.

ooonme TOWER.

Application filed. October .5, 1926. Serial No. 139,607;

My invention relates to cooling towers and particularly to an improved construction for attaching the louvers to the main structure of the tower.

The common form of' cooling tower consists of a main framework which extends upward from a foundation. The main frame-work supports decking over which the water to be cooledmay flow, the water being supplied to the cooling tower by means of a suitable supply pipe. In'order to'prevent the water from leaving the cooling tower and to permit a circulation of air therethrough,

, louvers are provided which consists of a se ries of overlappingmembers which are spaced .a distance apart and which slope up ward and outward from their inner ends. It is present practice to attach the louvers to the main'frame-work'by arms which are secured to the main frame-work and extended outward therefrom. The outer ends of these arms are projectcd'through openings formed in the sheathing of the louvers and are secured to cleats which are attached to the sheathing. 7

There are two pronounced disadvantages with the above-mentioned manner of attaching the louvers. First, the'cost of assembling is enhanced by reason of the inconvenience of having to project the arms through the openings in the sheathing; secondly, much of the water loss of the cooling tower occurs by reason of water leaking through the openings around the ends of the arms. 7

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a cooling tower having a construction for attaching the louvers to the framework, which construction permits the louvers to be economically attached.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a cooling tower having a construction for attaching louvers to the frame-work thereof, which construction requires no openings to be formed in the sheathing of the louver and will therefore reduce water losses.

Other obj ects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cooling tower embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical view of Fig. 1, this view Fig. 3 is-an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the construction which forms the important part of the invention.

r Fig. l is a section taken on the line 4t-4 of'Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and25 11 is a foundation which rests within a basin 12. Extended upward from the foundation 11 are vertical posts 14 which are attachedtogether by suitable crossbraces 15 and struts 16as illustrated. These parts of the cooling tower and other parts which are used for forming the main part thereof may be called the main framework. The main frame work supports a series of decking 1 8 over which the water is passed and'broken up so that it may be efiiciently coole'ds The water to be'cooled is supplied to the upper part ofthe cooling tower by meansof a supply pipe 19 having nozzles 20.

Supported by the main framework of the cooling tower are louvers 25. The louvers 25, as shown in Fig; 1, extend entirely around the main frame-work and as shown in Fig. 2 are arranged in rows which overlap and which are spaced a distance apart.- louvers slant upward and outward from the lower ends thereof so thatany water splash The mg thereagainst cannot escape to the ex-' terior of the tower. The spaces between the louvers '25 permit a free circulation of air which cools the descending water'within the cooling tower.

The important part of the invention resides in the construction for attaching the louversto the main, framework. which construction is illustrated bestin Figsgil and 4. Referring to these figures; my invention provides arms 26 which are 'attachcdto suitable parts of the main frame-worln In the drawing I have shown the arms 26 as being attached to the posts 1 1 by bolts 27. The

arms 26 may beseparate parts or they may be formed integral with the other parts of the cooling tower; for example, it would be possible to extend certain of the braces of the main frame-work outward therefrom,

utilizing the ends as arms. The arms 26 are projected horizontally outward. The outer ends thereof have faces 28 which rest in the planes parallel to the louvers 25. The

louvers 25 consist of sheatings 30 which are braced by louver cleats 31, the louver cleats 31 extending transversely of the sheathings y 30. The faces 28 of the arms 26 areadapted to ,fit against "inner faces 32 of the sheathings 30.

Attachment of the louvers to the arms against the inner faces 3203f the louvers 25andare secured to the lo-uvers by bolts 39. As illustratcdbest-in Fig. at, thebolts 39 extend through the louver cleats 31 so .that a rigid attachn'ient may be obtained.

The cleats extend below the sheathings 30 and the lower ends thereof are rigidly supported. In the drawing I show the lower ends of'the cleats 31 as being attached by bolts 42 to the inner parts of, the arms 26.

I find that this is a satisfactory way of atthe ground;

taching the lower ends of cleats but if desired :the cleats may be attached to the main firame-work of the cooling tower. In assembling the cooling tower oii-ny invention, the louvers are completely formed on the ground. They are thereafter elevated into their proper positions in which they are then-secured. be first secured to the arms 2G so that the supporting construction is ready to receive the louver- 'lVhen the louver is raised in place, the bolts 39 are extended throu-ghthe legs '38 of the, brackets '34 andthrough the cleats and sheathing of the louver. The louVeris-thus securely held in place.

The important part of this manner of assembling is that there is no construction workto be done on the louver atter it leaves It is completely formed when I it is raised into proper position and the only work necessary at this time is to; place the bolts 39. This construction is quite ritgid by reason of the fact that the louvers are clamped againstthe outer bearing faces 28 of the arms 26.

Another prominent advantage of the invention is that no openings are provided in the sheathings 30 of the louvers. is a marked advantage since it reduces wa- The brackets 34 also have legs 38 which rest The brackets 34- may This a .louvers.

I claim as my invention: i

'1. In a coolingtower the combination of: a main frame-work; decking supported by said main frame-work; means for supplying liquid to be cooled to the upper end of the cooling tower; arms extended outward from said frame-work; louvers located at the outer ends of said arms, saidlouyers having sheathings and cleats. secured to the backs of said sheathings, said louvers sloping u-pward and outward from the lower endsand said sheathings ofsaid louvers engaging end-faces of said arms which end-faces rest in planes parallelto saidlouvers; brackets engaging in the upper-faces of said sheathings and secured to said arms and said* louvers for rigidly securing said louvers to said arms; and means for attaching the lower ends of said cleats each to the next lower arm. q a

2. In a cooling tower, the combination of a frame-work havingoutwardly extending relatively spaced arms arranged in vertically spaced tiers; horizontally disposed louvers each positioned adjacent the outer ends of the arms of each tier and each to the respective arms.

In testimony whereof, I;have hereunto set my hand at Los -.A-ngeles, California,

this 30th day of September, 1926.

NORMAN o. FLEMING. 

